首頁 英文愛藏:那一年,我們各奔東西

第44章 愛在青澀年華 (10)

字體:16+-

1. She gathered up her wallet and keys.

gather up:收集;拾起

造_______________________________

2. How were they paid for?

pay for:為……而付錢

造_______________________________

好運斑馬裙

Well Dressed

瑪麗?安?佩奇?皮爾斯 / Mary Ann Pecci Pearce

One Sunday morning in June 1959 my mother walked into my room. “Surprise!” she said, proudly holding up a yellow dress with black and white stripes. “I made it just for you. What do you think?”

I bit my tongue. How could I tell Mom it was the most hideous dress I had ever seen? The too-intense colors, the gaudy rhinestone buttons, the shiny patent leather belt, the hopelessly out-of-style billowy skirt.

“It’s perfect for church,” my mother continued blithely.“I wish somone had made a dress like this for me.”

Too bad you can’t wear it, I thought. But I knew Mom had spent a lot of time on the dress. Only the world’s most ungrateful daughter would refuse. Reluctantly I put it on.

All through church I prayed, Lord, let me get out of here without anyone seeing me. Especially Dennis Pearce, the boy I had a crush on. He was one of the cutest guys at Neptune High. Although we were in some of the same classes, Dennis had never taken any notice of me.

At the end of the service I bolted for the door. But I had to wait on the steps while my parents chatted with their friends. Just a little while longer... Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the Pearce approaching. Before I could escape, Dennis was right beside me.

I started gabbing a mile a minute, hoping if I kept it up he wouldn’t notice my horrible dress. “I’m going to college in September,” I said.

“That’s great,” Dennis replied. “I got accepted to the police academy.”

“Wow!” I said. Somehow I kept the conversation going. Soon we were walking to the parking lot together. The next thing I knew Dennis had asked me out on a date!